Trump names Musk and Ramaswamy to lead new Dept of Government Efficiency

New York: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has appointed high-profile entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), tasked with transforming federal operations and eliminating waste in bureaucracy.

Announcing the appointments on Truth Social, Trump described DoGE as “potentially the 'Manhattan Project' of our time”, a nod to the World War II-era effort that rapidly developed atomic weapons and changed the global landscape. Trump praised Musk and Ramaswamy as “exceptional Americans” who would lead the mission to dismantle government bureaucracy, streamline regulations, and overhaul federal agencies.

Musk, an immigrant from South Africa and the head of Tesla and SpaceX, responded enthusiastically on X, saying, “This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!” Musk also promised that all DoGE actions would be made public to ensure transparency, and proposed a “leaderboard” to spotlight government’s most wasteful expenditures, calling it both “tragic and entertaining.”

Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire pharmaceutical entrepreneur whose parents immigrated from India, echoed Musk’s determination, posting, “We will not go gently, @elonmusk.”

While the department’s structure and their specific roles remain to be clarified, Trump expressed confidence that Musk and Ramaswamy’s private-sector expertise would bring a groundbreaking approach to the task. DoGE will work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to implement large-scale reforms aimed at reducing inefficiencies and introducing an entrepreneurial approach to governance.

During Trump’s campaign, Musk pledged that he could cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. Both Musk and Ramaswamy actively supported Trump’s bid, with Musk even spearheading a parallel campaign in Pennsylvania to boost support in the key swing state.

However, some critics have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, particularly with Musk’s government contracts through SpaceX and his extensive business operations in China.

The precise scope of DoGE’s authority, whether Senate confirmation is required, and Musk and Ramaswamy’s official titles remain to be determined.

With IANS inputs